Sprint and T-Mobile in final stages of negotiation for a merger

Within the last couple of weeks or so, we’ve heard about rekindled talks between T-Mobile and Sprint regarding a possible merger. Today, a new report from Bloomberg claims people “familiar with the matter” say that the merger is likely to be publicly announced at the end of the month along with the quarterly financial reports.

Both sides are performing the final due diligence (steps required for the legality of a transaction) to determine Sprint’s valuation in the merger. According to these people, setting an exchange ratio is one of the last steps needed before moving forward.

Both companies are also discussing terms surrounding non-cash items, executive appointments, and the location for the headquarters of the supposedly merged company.

T-Mobile CEO: John Legere

If the two carriers were to merge, that means the number of major wireless carriers in the US would shrink from four to three. This is where antitrust regulators would need to make a decision based on the deal and its terms. The merger is said to not have a breakup fee, which lowers the risk of rejection from antitrust regulators.

According to the report, the two companies appear to be set on merging. In fact, the deal is said to be announced at the end of the month, at the same time the companies would release their earnings to investors. Additionally, if a deal can’t be met or due diligence takes longer than expected, the deal could be put on hold.